Terminal checking device



Dec. 20, 1966 G. s. COLLIER ETAL 3,292,430

TERMINAL crmcxme DEVICE Filed Oct. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4

George S.Co||ie| Raymond J. Pugllu,

INVENTORS. MW M BY M J. W /W M JWWZ ArToRmi 1955 e. s. COLLIER ETALT 3,292,430

TERMINAL CHECKING DEVICE Filed Oct. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

George S. Collier Raymond J. Pugliu,

INVENTORS. M 7"" BY M J M14? W M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,292,430 TERMINAL CHECKING DEVICE George S. Collier, Winter Park, and Raymond J. Puglia, Orlando, Fla., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Oct. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 402,370 8 Claims. (Cl. 73141) This invention relates to a device for checking the seating of terminal pins within the connectors of a chassis. These pins are held in place, if properly seated, by locking springs which resist pressure tending to dislodge them from their respective connectors.

In the past it has been necessary to check the seating of each individual terminal pin by manually pushing against it with a composition stick. This has been both time consuming and inexact, due to the human factor involved, i.e. the degree of pressure exerted may vary so as to fail to dislodge improperly seated pins or in some cases to dislodge properly seated pins. Failure to properly seat all of the terminals causes an excessive amount of rework due to broken electrical circuits because of the necessity of removing the chassis and finding the broken circuits.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a mechanical device which will uniformly check the seating of electrical terminals within the connectors of a chassis to avoid the excessive rework noted above.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a device which will apply a uniform pressure on terminal pins within the connectors of a chassis and which pressure is sufiicient to partially dislodge any improperly seated terminal pins but insuflicient'to dislodge properly seated terminal pins.

The foregoing and other objects of this invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention in one mode of use;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the checking device with portions of the device broken away so as to better illustrate the interaction of the various elements of the invention; and FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 2.

In the drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, the preferred embodiment is shown, the reference characters are utilized to designate the same elements throughout. Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1, which shows the checking device in position within a chassis 16; this position being its normal checking position. The checking device is retained in this position by a pair of locking means or studs 18, one of which is mounted in a locking bracket 17 disposed at each end of the checking device and positioned outside of the chassis walls 16'. Each of the locking means comprises a shaft or stud threaded through its locking bracket in such a manner that its inner end portion (not shown) presses against the chassis wall whenever said shaft is rotated in its locking direction, all in a manner well known in the art. Thus, the device is placed in its normal working position and each of the locking means is rotated to lock the checking device in this position.

Once the checking device is properly positioned, gaseous fluid, e.g. air, is supplied by a fluid source 14 through a fluid supply line 11 and a pressure regulating device 12 to the checking device. The use of device 12 is optionable but is preferred because the pre-selected fluid pressure must be maintained at a constant level 3,292,430 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 within the checking device. The construction and operation of the fluid supply system is well known in the art and therefore have not been described in greater detail. Other systems could be utilized as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, with the sole requirement being that a constant pre-selected fluid pressure be supplied to the checking device. The pressure must be constant in order that the checking device will uniformly check the connectors within the chassis as Will be more readily apparent hereinafter.

The checking device is illustrated in detail in FIGURES 2 and 3 and comprises a manifold 20 having four spaced individual fluid compartments 22. Pressurized fluid from the source is selectively supplied, through an inlet 19, located at one end of the manifold, through a fluid supply line 21, and through a plurality of three-way supply and exhaust poppet valves 23 to compartments 22. One such valve 23 is disposed so as to control the fluid flow into each of the compartments. Whenever valve 23, for any given compartment, is depressed to its lowermost position, the fluid flows into that compartment. Valves 23 are so constructed that when it is released it returns to its uppermost position, thereby exhausting its compartment through an exhaust port 24. Valves 23 are of a type well known in the valve art and therefore have not been shown in detail since any type of supply and exhaust valve will suffice to control the flow of fluid to the compartments.

Disposed in abutti'ng relation with the manifold is a cylinder block 26. Cylinder block 26 has a plurality of spaced bores 28 extending therethrough and further includes a plurality of depressions or seats 29 to provide seating space for the lower portions of valves 23 when the device is assembled.

Each of the bores is fitted with a fluid piston 32 adapted for reciprocating axial movement within the bore. The pistons are constructed with such close tolerances that there will be a fluid seal between the pistons and the walls of the bores when the pistons are in place. In the specific embodiment of the invention under discussion there is a total of twenty-three pistons because the chassis this device is designed to check has a total of twenty-three connectors in each row. Since there is an odd number of pistons in this embodiment they are divided as equally as possible among the fluid compartments, thus three of the compartments have a total of six bores and pistons opening thereinto while the fourth compartment has only five bores and pistons opening thereinto'. The foot of lower portion of each piston is slotted, with a push arm 34 brazed in the slot. The use of the push arms will be described in detail subsequently. For ease of as'sembl and to permit push arms 34 to reciprocate with pistons 32, the lower portion of cylinder block 26 is bisected with slots 30, i.e. one for each push arm. Each bore is also provided with a cylindrical buffer plug 36 which rests beneath each piston in such a manner as to be compressed by the downward movement of the piston. The plug may be of any resilient compressable material such as foam rubber, which has been found to be satisfactory. Angle plates 38 extend from one end of block 26 to the other and are attached thereto by conventional means, e.g. assembly screws. The horizontal leg 38' of each plate closes the lower ends of bores 28 and a portion of slots 30 and extends into abutting relation to a pres sure pin guiding housing 42 so that the upper surfaces of legs 38' and the upper end surface of the housing are substantially coplanar. Thus, plates 38 retain plugs 36 and pistons 32 within the bores of the cylinder block while still permitting the reciprocating movement of the pistons.

Pressure pin guiding housing 42 contains the actual instrumentalities for checking the seating of the terminal pins. These consist of a plurality of pressure pins 40 which are disposed within the housing in aligned spaced relation free for reciprocating axial movement corresponding to like movement of the pistons noted, supra. The diameter of these pins is substantially the same as the thickness of the push arms and can never be substantially greater because these pins must enter slots 30 and thus maintain engaging contact with the push arms. If the diameter of the pins is greater than the width of slots 30 the device cannot properly function since the movement of the push arms is limited to movement within the slots. The pins are maintained in their spaced relation by passing through suitably formed openings through a top guide plate 44 and a bottom guide plate 46, which are carried at the top and bottom, respectively, of housing 42. A spring retaining ring 50 is carried by each pin 40 intermediate its end portions. A spiral spring 52 is disposed about each of the pins intermediate ring 50 and the top surface .47 of the bottom guide plate so as to exert resilient pressure against ring 50 in such a manner that pin 40 is normally maintained in its uppermost position when the device is asembled as shown in FIGURE 2. In this position, pins 40 enter slots 30 and abut with push arms 34 since housing 42 is normally disposed in a centrally perpendicular abutting relation with the lower or bottom surface of the cylinder block and extends outwardly therefrom. The resilient pressure exerted by springs 52 against rings 50 maintains the upper ends of pins 40 in abutting relation with push arms 34 within slots 30 so that axial movement of pistons 32 (and push arms 34) is translated into like movement of pins 40. Housing 42 is maintained in place with block 26 by conventional means such as assembly screws, not shown.

Bottom guide plate 46 of housing 42 is provided with a slot or groove 48 opening through the bottom surface 49 thereof and adapted to be seated upon a row of upstanding connectors 56. When properly placed, the bottom guide plate is so seated that pressure pins 40 are aligned with terminal pins 54. Terminal pins 54 are normally held in place within connectors 56 by a locking spring 55, carried within each connector 56 whenever the terminal pin is properly seated. The retentive force exerted by spring 55 is sufl'icient to withstand the pressure exerted by pressure pins 40 if the terminal pin is properly seated.

Operation As seen in FIGURE 1, checking device 10 is placed within chassis 16 with bottom guide plate 46 resting upon a row of connectors 56. Locking brackets 17 are then disposed outside of Walls 16', and locking means 18 are actuated to lock the checking device in the chassis. When the device is locked in place the operator proceeds to test the seating of the terminal pins in that row of connectors. He does this by depressing, in sequence, each of three-way poppet valves 23. When valve 23 is depressed the pressurized fluid flows from supply line 21 through valve 23 into compartment 22. This fluid then exerts a force of four to six pounds per square inch against pistons 32 and, through push arms 34, against pressure pins 40, thereby compressing spring 52. Pressure pins 40 then press against terminal pins 54. Properly seated pins will resist the force applied while improperly seated pins will be pushed approximately 7 inch out of the rear of the chassis. After the terminal pins have been tested, poppet valve 23 will be released, thereby exhausting compartment 22. The exhausting of compartment 22 permits spring 52 to impel pin 40, and along with it, push arm 34 and piston 32 to their uppermost position. Spring 52 is assisted in irnpelling piston 32 by the expansion of buffer 36. Thus, the filling and the exhaustion of compartment 22 results in vertical reciprocal movement of pins 40, provided that there is no obstruction of their initial downward motion suflicient to withstand the force exerted thereon by the fluid admitted to compartment 22. This procedure will be repeated for each row of connectors to be tested until the entire chassis has been checked.

' Then the chassis will be turned over and visual inspection will determine which terminal pins are to be reseated.

The embodiment described above is exemplary of the invention rather than restrictive thereof. Othervariations will be obvious, e.g. while the manifold shown has four separate compartments, a lesser or greater number may be used as desired. A single compartment could also be i used. This choice will be dictated to a great extent by the degree of pressure properly seated pins will withstand and still permit the use of a fluid pressure which will be effec- Also, the number of pistons, push arms, bores, pressure pins, etc. will tive to dislodge improperly seated pins.

understandably vary with the type of chassis with which the checking device is designed to be used. Here, the chassis to be checked had twenty-three connectors in each row and the checking device had a corresponding number of pressure pins.

Another permissible variation would be the substitution of a pressure plate in lieu of push arms 34 to drive a plurality of pressure pins 40.

Further, the shape of the checking device 10 will vary according to the type of chassis to be checked, e.g.the device could be made circular to check cable connectors.

Still further, the device could be used to insert the terminal pins by inverting the chassis and placing the device against the opposite ends of pins which had been placed.

and lower ends disposed for reciprocating motion:

along their longitudinal axes within said housing,

(0) a cylinder block disposed in abutting relation with said housing, said cylinder block having a plurality of bores extending therethrough,

(d) a plurality of cylindrical pistons having first and second end portions disposed within the bores of said cylinder block for reciprocal motion along their longitudinal axes, said pistons having a fluid seal within said bores, said first end portion of said piston having a surface adapted to receive fluid under pressure,

(e) a push arm integrally connected to said second end portion of each of said pistons and disposed in abutting contact with said upper end of one of said spaced (f) a manifold disposed in abutting relation with said cylinder block, comprising a fluid compartment into which the fluid receiving surface of the pistons open and valve means for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid into and out of said compartment, and

(g) a source of fluid under pressure operatively con-' nected to said valve means, whereby the admittance of said fluid into said compartment causes the pistons opening thereinto to move axially along their longitudinal axes from an uppermost position to a lower,- most position, thereby, through the push arms, moving said pressure pins axially along their longitudinal axes from an uppermost position to a lowermost position.

2. In a checking device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said manifold comprises a plurality of compartments, each compartment being adapted to individually receive pressurized fluid.

3. In a checking device as set forth in claim 2, wherein a plurality of said fluid actuated pistons open within each of said compartments.

4. A checking device for detecting improperly seated terminals Within a row of connectors of a chassis, comprising:

(a) a guiding housing comprising a top guide plate and a bottom guide plate, said guide plates having a plurality of spaced openings therein, and said bottom guide plate provided with seating means for alignment of said openings with said terminals,

(b) a plurality of spaced pressure pins disposed at least partially within said housing, each of said pins passing through an opening in each of said guide plates whereby said pins are maintained in spaced relation,

(c) first means for impelling each of said pressure pins in a first direction along its longitudinal axis from an initial position within said housing to a second position of engagement with said terminals for application of a predetermined force thereto to partially displace said terminals from said chassis if the terminals are improperly seated therein, and

(d) second means for impelling said pins in a second direction for returning said pressure pins to their initial positions whenever said first impelling means is rendered inoperative.

5. In a checking device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the means for impelling said pressure pins in said first direction comprises a fluid actuated driving device.

6. In a checking device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the means for returning said pressure pins to their initial positions comprises a resilient spring disposed about each of said pressure pins in such a manner that the spring is compressed whenever pressure pins are impelled in said first direction.

7. A checking device comprising:

(a) a pressure pin guiding housing comprising a top guide plate and a bottom guide plate, each of said plates having a plurality of spaced openings therein,

(b) a plurality of pressure pins, having upper and lower end, disposed at least partially within said housing, each of said pins passing through an opening in said top and bottom guide plates,

(c) a cylinder block having upper and lower surfaces disposed in abutting relation with said housing, said block having a plurality of bores extending from said upper surface to said lower surface,

((1) a plurality of cylindrical pistons having first and second end portions, disposed within said bores for reciprocal motion along their longitudinal axes, said first end portion having a surface adapted to receive fluid under pressure,

(e) a push arm integrally connected to said second end portion of each of said pistons and in abutting contact with said upper end of one of said spaced pins,

(f) a closing plate for closing said bores at the lower surface of said block,

(g) first resilient means disposed within said bores between the second end portions of said piston and said closing plate, said first resilient means being adapted to be compressed when said pistons move along their longitudinal axes toward said closing plate, thereby storing enargy for impelling said pistons away from said plate,

(h) a manifold disposed in abutting relation with said cylinder block, comprising a fluid compartment into which the fluid receiving surface of a plurality of said pistons open and valve means for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid into and out of said compartment,

(i) a second resilient means disposed about each of said pressure pins adapted to be compressed when said pressure pins move along their longitudinal axes toward said bottom guide plate, thereby storing energy for impelling said pins away from said bottom guide plate, and

(3') a source of fluid under pressure operatively connected to said valve means, whereby the admittance of said fluid into said compartment causes the pistons opening thereinto to move axially toward said closing plate, thereby compressing said first resilient means, the said movement of said pistons, through said push arms, impelling said pressure pins toward said bottom guide plate, thereby compressing said second resilient means; and whereby the exhaustion of said fluid from said compartment permits the expansion of said first and second resilient means, thereby impelling said piston away from closing plate and said pressure pins away from said bottom guide plates, respectively.

8. A checking device for detecting improperly seated terminals within a row of connectors of a chassis, comprising:

(a) a pressure pin guiding housing comprising a top guide plate, having a plurality of spaced openings extending therethrough and a bottom guide plate, having a plurality of spaced openings extending therethrough and aligned with the said openings in said top guide plate, said bottom guide plate also having a groove in its lower surface extending from one end of the plate to the other whereby said plate is seated on said row of connectors during use, said row of connectors entering said groove, and the openings in the bottom guide plate are aligned with the terminals within said row of connectors;

(b) a plurality of spaced pressure pins disposed within said housing extended through the said openings in the top guide plate and extending into the openings in the bottom guide plate, wherein the lower ends of said pins are disposed for engagement with corresponding terminals when the bottom plate is in its normal position during use, said pins being free for reciprocal motion within the openings of said guide plate;

(c) fluid actuated means disposed adjacent the upper ends of said pressure pins adapted to exert against said pins a force of such magnitude as to displace said pins from a first position to a second position along their longitudinal axes and to displace improperly seated terminals within the connectors; and

(d) resilient means disposed in opposition to said fluid actuated means and adapted to displace said pins from said second position to said first position when the fluid actuated means is inoperative.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,862 1/1935 Morgan 29252 2,593,269 4/1952 Clifford et a1. 73141 2,667,781 2/1954 Barrett 73-101 3,222,921 12/ 1965 Schreiber et al 73-94 RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner.

JAMES H. WILLIAMSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CHECKING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A PRESSURE PIN GUIDING HOUSING, (B) A PLURALITY OF SPACED PRESSURE PINS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS DISPOSED FOR RECIPROCATING MOTION ALONG THEIR LONGITUDINAL AXES WITHIN SAID HOUSING, (C) A CYLINDER BLOCK DISPOSED IN ABUTTING RELATION WITH SAID HOUSING, SAID CYLINDER BLOCK HAVING A PLURALITY OF BORES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, (D) A PLURALITY OF CYLINDRICAL PISTONS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND END PORTIONS DISPOSED WITHIN THE BORES OF SAID CYLINDER BLOCK FOR RECIPROCAL MOTION ALONG THEIR LONGITUDINAL AXEX, SAID PISTOND HAVING A FLUID SEAL WITHIN SAID BORES, SAID FIRST END PORTION OF SAID PISTON HAVING A SURFACE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE FLUID UNDER PRESSURE, (E) A PUSH ARM INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND END PORTION OF EACH OF SAID PISTONS AND DISPOSED IN ABUTTING CONTACT WITH SAID UPPER END OF ONE OF SAID SPACED PINS, (F) A MANIFOLD DISPOSED IN ABUTTING RELATION WITH SAID CYLINDER BLOCK, COMPRISING A FLUID COMPARTMENT INTO WHICH THE FLUID RECEIVING SURFACE OF THE PISTONS OPEN AND VALVE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF PRESSURIZED FLUID INTO AND OUT OF SAID COMPARTMENT, AND (G) A SOURCE OF FLUID UNDER PRESSURE WHEREBY THE ADMITTANCE OF SAID FLUID INTO SAID COMPARTMENT CAUSES THE PISTONS OPENING THEREINTO TO MOVE AXIALLY ALONG THEIR LONGITUDINAL AXES FROM AND UPPERMOST POSITION TO A LOWERMOST POSITION, THEREBY, THROUGH THE PUSH ARMS, MOVING SAID PRESSURE PINS AXIALLY ALONG THEIR LONGITUDINAL AXES FROM AN UPPERMOST POSITION TO A LOWERMOST POSITION. 